Fluid heater and support



w. H. ARMACOST 2,014,197

FLUID HEATER AND SUPPORT Sept; 10, 1935.

Filed April 16, 1951 INVENTOR Wilbur H .Armacost ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID HEATER AND SUPPORT Application April 16, 1931, Serial No. 530,739

6 Claims.

My invention relates to the art of fluid heaters and has as one of its objects to provide a heater having a high ratio of heating surface to volume.

A further object of my invention is to provide a compact arrangement of boiler and heater having means whereby the heater is supported within the boiler structure, but its weight supported externally of the steam and water drum of the boiler.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will now describe in detail, in connection with the accompanying drawing, a particular arrangement of economizer boiler forming an illustrative embodiment of my invention.

In said drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a water-tube boiler having an 23 economizer supported therein in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view taken at rightangles to Fig. 1, parts being omitted and parts being shown in section for purposes of illustra- 25 tion.

The arrangement illustrated in the drawing comprises a supporting framework having structural members l0, H), from which is supported a water-tube boiler having a steam and water 30 drum l2 and a circulatory system comprising downcomers l4, 14 which extend downwardly and connect with lower vertical headers l6. From the headers l6, l6 risers I8, l8 extend later-ally and upwardly to a connection with hori- 35 zontal headers which are connected in turn to the drum [2 by circulators 22 and 24. Risers 26 also extend upwardly from the headers l6 and connect directly into the drum l2. Suitable bafliing 28 is associated with the risers 26 to define an up-pass for the gases from the combustion chamber 30. Preferably risers H! are spaced from bafiling 28 to provide a space 30' for a superheater (not shown), while baffiing 28 is terminated sufficiently below the drum l2 so that 45 the gases may flow over into the down-pass 32 lying between the downcomers I4 and risers 26 and thence out between the lower ends of the tubes I4. The pass 32 is large enough to receive and enclose a heater 34 shown as an economizer 50 for the boiler previously described. The heater or economizer 34 has an inlet header 36 extending horizontally transverse to the axis of drum 12 but outside one end of the pass 32. Connected to the header 36 is a group of tubes 38,

38 arranged to receive fluid in parallel flow relation from header 36 and to conduct the same downwardly to a lower horizontal header shown in dotted lines at 40. Individual tubes of group 38 are arranged substantially horizontally and are connected by ordinary means (not shown) so 5 that the fluid flows through them along parallel lines and in a generally downward direction as indicated by the arrows 42, 42. The group of tubes 38 occupies approximately one-half of the width of the pass 32 whereas header 40 extends 10 across the full width of such pass. The other half of header 40 from that connected to tubes of group 38 is connected to tubes 44, 44 of the similar group but which are connected so that the flow therethrough is generally upward as 15 indicated by arrows 46, 46. At their upper ends tubes of group 44 are connected to a horizontal header, coaxial with header 36 and shown in dotted lines at 48. Fluid is conducted from header 48 to a desired point of use by suitable 20, connecting tubes 50, 50. In the arrangement illustrated, the tubes 53 deliver fluid which has been heated in the tubes of groups 38 and 44 into the drum l2.

The arrangement described above permits a large number of tubes to be placed closely together in the pass 32, thereby obtaining a high ratio of heating surface to volume of the heater and a high efficiency of heat transfer from the gases to the tubes. This arrangement, however, produces a considerable concentration of weight within the space outlined by the boiler tubes and for supporting the weight of the heater 34, I prefer an arrangement whereby the drum l2 and ordinary circulating tubes such as l4, l8 and 26 of the boiler are relieved of the stresses caused by supporting the heater 34.

In the arrangement illustrated, the weight of the heater 34 is carried principally by the members N3 of the frame-work external to the boiler. In order, however, that the weight of the heater may be transmitted to members Hi the tubes of the groups 38 and 44 are supported near their centers by a built-up plate structure 52 having stiffening webs or flanges 34, 54 thereon. The structure 52 being in intimate contact with a large number of tubes carrying water or other fluid to be heated is prevented from overheating and therefore has a very long life. For supporting the plate structure 52 I prefer to provide means substantially wholly water-cooled. As shown, such means comprises special downcomer tubes 56 and 58 and risers 60 all connected at their upper ends to the drum I2 and connected at their lower ends to a transverse conduit 62 having a flat upper surface on which the plate structure 52 is directly supported. Downcomers 56 connect to one end of conduit 62 and risers 6!] connect into the other end of the conduit 62 which is inclined upwardly from the point of connection to tubes 56 to that of tubes whereby a free water circulation is maintained throughout tubes 56, 58 and 60.

For transferring the weight on the conduit 52 to the frame members I0, I weld lugs 64, S4 to the tubes 56 and 6G and connect lugs 64 to upwardly extending bolts 66, 66 which preferably are supported on the members I I] by springs 68, 68 intermediate the nuts l0, 10 at the upper ends of the bolts 66 and the top surfaces of the members [0.

While I have described in detail an economizer boiler, it will be clear that my invention includes an arrangement in which a heater for steam or other fluid may be placed in the space occupied by the economizer 34.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a boiler having a steam and water drum, riser and downcomer tubes connected to said drum and arranged to form a chamber lying directly below said drum, of a heater having a large number of substantially horizontal tubes in said chamber arranged in two groups, connecting means for the tubes of one of said groups so arranged that the flow of fluid is downward therein, connecting means for the other of said groups whereby the flow of fluid is upward therein, means for connecting said groups at their lower ends, means for supplying fiuid to the upper ends of the tubes in the down-flow group, means for delivering fluid from the upper end of said up-flow group, and suspension means for supporting the weight of the economizer tubes and adapted to prevent such weight from falling on said steam and water drum.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and in which the heater tubes are parallel to the axis of the drum.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 together with means whereby the weight of the heater tubes is transferred to the boiler tubes and thence to a support external to the boiler without falling on the steam and water drum of the boiler.

4. The combination with a heater having intake and outlet headers at the same level, an intermediate header at a level below said headers, a group of substantially horizontal tubes connected for thru-flow in parallel paths between said inlet and said intermediate headers, and another similar group of tubes connected between said intermediate and said outlet headers of a boiler having a steam and water drum lying immediately above the tubes of said heater and parallel thereto, and suspension means for supporting the weight of the heater tubes and arranged to prevent such weight from falling on the said boiler drum.

5. The combination with a boiler having a steam and water drum, riser and downcomer tubes connected to said drum and arranged to form a chamber immediately below said drum, of a heater having a large number of substantially horizontal tubes in said chamber, connecting means for the tubes of said heater whereby the feed water for said drum is directed therethrough in series parallel flow and delivered into said drum, a substantially vertical plate structure through which said tubes extend and which is adapted to exert a supporting stress thereon, tubes connected to said drum in addition to said riser and downcomer tubes, a connection between the lower ends of said last mentioned tubes lying beneath and supporting said plate structure, and suspension means external to said drum for supporting said last mentioned tubes.

6. The combination of a boiler having a steam and water drum of tubes connected to said drum and arranged to have, when heated, a natural circulation therein, said tubes outlining a chamber immediately below said drum, a heater within said chamber, additional tubes within said chamber connected to said drum so as to have a natural circulation therein when heated, means whereby said heater is supported on said additional tubes and means whereby the weight of said heater is transferred to points outside the boiler without falling on said drum.

WILBUR H. ARMACOST. 

